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Home » Recipes » Holidays and Events Recipes » Christmas Recipes

Black Forest Yule Log Cake

Published: Dec 23, 2022 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Dec 23, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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slice of black forest yule log cake on a white square plate with a fork and a whole black forest yule log cake in the background

Yule logs are such a fun Christmas cake and make the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table! This Black Forest Yule Log Cake has all the yumminess of black forest cake, with a simple creamy filling of whipped cream and canned cherries, all rolled up in a swiss roll log cake, and covered in creamy chocolate ganache.

whole black forest yule log cake on a white platter with tinsel and red tree decorations in background

This recipe was inspired by my black forest trifle and is popular at Christmas. It pairs well with any Christmas dinner but goes great with a turkey dinner or ham dinner.

Jump to:
  • 🥘Ingredients
  • 🔪Instructions
  • 📖Variations & Substitutions
  • 🥗 Main Dishes
  • 🍽Equipment
  • 🌡️Storage
  • 👪 Serving Size
  • 💭Top Tips
  • 🦺Food safety
  • ❔ Frequently Asked Questions
  • 📋 Black Forest Yule Log Cake recipe

The original swiss roll recipe came from a recipe my son brought home from his cooking class in middle school. He loves making it every year but this year I wanted to make something different. Since I love black forest cake so much, I wanted to turn it into a black forest yule log.

🥘Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make a Black Forest Yule log cake:

ingredients for black forest yule log cake in glass containers, labelled

Cake:

  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp melted butter * I use unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream (whipping cream-33-35%)
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar + additional for sprinkling (icing sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup canned cherry pie filling
  • 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking bar
  • 3 Maraschino cherries
  • 2 spearmint gummy leaves (affiliate link)

🔪Instructions

Although a chocolate sponge cake can be a bit of a challenging cake to make, as the biggest challenge is cracking, in this case, cracking is not an issue. In fact, it's fine if it cracks, as it makes it look more log-like. And you cover the log in chocolate ganache anyway, so any 'blemishes' or mistakes are hidden.

Prep: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).

piece of buttered parchment paper on jelly roll pan

Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a 17X12 sheet pan (jelly roll pan) and grease with butter (make sure it's at least an inch or two larger than the jelly roll pan).

*it's actually easier to take it off the pan and grease it on a flat surface (counter or table), then put it back on

an inch of water in a medium saucepan

Bring an inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

eggs whisked together with a whisk in a stainless steel bowl

Whisk eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl.

*you can use a double boiler for this step, if you have one

whisked eggs in heatproof bowl, over pot of water, on stove

Then place over simmering water. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl at any time.

whisked eggs in a stainless steel bowl with instant read thermometer

Using a whisk continually beat the egg mixture until the eggs are thick, pale yellow, and warm to the touch (around 120 degrees F/48 degrees C) It should feel like warm tap water.

An instant-read thermometer is the best way to do this

eggs beaten to ribbon stage in a stainless steel bowl, with a spoon dragged through

Remove the egg bowl from the heat and continue beating on high speed with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) until the mixture is thick and airy, and has reached the ribbon stage.* This means that when you drag and drizzle a spoonful of liquid it shouldn't settle back into the liquid for a good 5-10 seconds.

melted butter mixed into egg mixture with a black spatula in bowl and glass bowl on the side

Mix in the melted butter with a spoon or spatula (do NOT beat in with a mixer)

cocoa powder, flour and salt mixed together in a small glass bowl

In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, and salt.

dry ingredients mixed with egg mixture in stainless steel bowl, with black spatula

Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and gently fold it into the eggs with a spatula.

sponge batter mixed together in stainless steel bowl with black spatula

You need to be patient doing this -fold gently only mix until combined (or the batter will fall)

sponge cake batter poured onto parchment paper

Spread the batter onto the buttered parchment, leaving approximately an inch from the edges of the parchment.

baked chocolate sponge cake on a pan

Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 8 minutes, until springy to the touch and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

parchment paper with cocoa sprinkled on it

Prepare a new piece of parchment paper by sprinkling it lightly with cocoa powder.

cake flipped over with parchment paper on top

Flip the cake onto the parchment, then remove the parchment the cake was baked on.

cake being gently rolled up in parchment

Gently roll the cake up in the parchment, into a log, while it is still warm. *This is like muscle memory for the cake and it will roll easier again later.* Don't worry if it cracks (it will look more log-like anyway)

cake rolled up in parchment paper

Allow cake to cool in this rolled-up position.

whipping cream beat to soft peaks in glass bowl

Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

whipping cream with vanilla and sugar added

Add vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.

whipped cream whipped to stiff peaks

Whip to stiff peaks

unrolled cake with whipped cream spread on it

Unroll the cooled cake, then spread the cream all over, leaving a one-inch border all around the edges

cake with whipped cream and cherries spread on it

Spread the canned cherries on top of the whipped cream.

cake rolled up and placed on wire rack

Roll the cake up gently, without the parchment paper this time.

Place on a wire rack, with parchment or wax paper underneath (for pouring ganache

chocolate and whipped cream in a glass bowl

Microwave the whipped cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl for 30-second intervals at ½ power (50%), stirring after each time until combined.

*Alternatively, you could do this in a double boiler.

ganache in a glass bowl with a black spatula

Do not overcook this, as the chocolate melts into the whipped cream each time you stir it.

If needed: add a tablespoon of milk, which will give some pourable consistency to the ganache.(I did not need to do this)

ganache poured on cake and spatula etching lines in it

Pour the ganache over the cake, spreading with a spatula to cover all of it.

Etch lines in the ganache to look like tree bark.

yule log hardened on white platter, garnished with spearmint gummy leaves and maraschino cherries

Refrigerate for one hour before serving on a cake platter (or a serving platter), so the ganache can firm up.

Garnish with spearmint gummy leaves, and maraschino cherries, and sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the chocolate ganache.

📖Variations & Substitutions

  • Butter - you can use salted butter instead of unsalted, just leave out the salt in the recipe
  • Garnish: you could use a different type of edible garnish (for instance cranberries or regular cherries) or a garnish that isn't edible
  • Filling: you could use frosting instead of whipped cream if you wish.
slice of black forest yule log cake on a white square plate with a fork and a whole black forest yule log cake in the background

🥗 Main Dishes

Main dishes that go well with this Yule Log Cake are:

  • Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Quinoa Cranberry Stuffing
  • Baked Beef Cannelloni
  • Easy Cornish Hens with Rosemary Wine Sauce (shown)
  • Picnic Ham with Orange Glaze Recipe
  • Air Fryer Roast Chicken (with lemon, rosemary and garlic)
  • Make-Ahead Lasagna (with no boil noodles)
Cornish Hen on a plate with pasta and salad


🍽Equipment

You will need a jelly roll baking sheet (12X17X1), a cooling rack, an electric mixer (a hand mixer or a stand mixer), spatulas, trivets, a whisk and mixing bowls (affiliate links) to make this Christmas Yule Log Cake.

An instant-read thermometer (affiliate link) also comes in very handy for ensuring your eggs are at the right temperature for this recipe (120 degrees F/48 degrees C).

whisked eggs in a stainless steel bowl with instant read thermometer

This tool is a great investment because you can use it in so many recipes; it's great for everything food related!! Use an instant-read thermometer to assess the doneness of food without having to cut into it. It's ideal for:

  • breads, freeform loaves, and soft rolls
  • meats (pork, chicken, salmon, beef etc)
  • grilled food
  • roasted food
  • air fryer food
  • baked desserts

🌡️Storage

Store leftover yule log cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do not freeze leftovers, as whipped cream does not freeze well and will become runny when defrosted.

You can make the cake in advance and freeze it without the filling (rolled up) in a sealed container. But make sure it is completely defrosted before you unroll it.

👪 Serving Size

This black forest bûche de noël recipe makes 8 servings. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. However, you'll need additional jelly roll pans if you make more than one cake.

slice of black forest yule log cake on a square white plate, with a fork

💭Top Tips

The trick is to roll the cake up while it's still warm. If you don't roll it soon enough, it will crack. I had to take process photos, so I was a little late to the party when it came to rolling, so mine cracked a bit. But as I said, for this cake that's perfectly fine!

The other tip is to be very careful when you are making the sponge batter, especially when you are folding the dry ingredients into the egg mixture

🦺Food safety

  • Do not eat raw cake batter
  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw eggs
  • Wash hands after touching raw eggs
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
  • Never leave cooking food unattended

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov 

❔ Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Swiss roll and Yule log?

A yule log, or Bûche de Noël, is simply a swiss roll decorated to look like a Christmas log. That is the only difference.

So if you are looking for a simple and delicious yule log with a twist, give this Black Forest Yule Log cake a try!

And, if you love this Black Forest Yule Log Cake, you'll probably love my Black Forest Tiramisu too!

No Bake Black Forest Tiramisu | #easypotluckdessert, #nobakedessert - Foodmeanderings.com
whole black forest yule log cake on a white platter with tinsel and red tree decorations in background
Food Meandering Logo

📋 Black Forest Yule Log Cake recipe

This Black Forest Yule Log Cake has a classic black forest filling of cherries and whipped cream, all wrapped up in a chocolate swiss roll cake, and smothered in a creamy, rich chocolate ganache.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American
Keyword: black forest, buche de noel, yule log
Special Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 418kcal
Author: Terri Gilson
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

electric mixer
cooling rack
jelly roll pans
pile of varied colored trivets stacked up
trivets
an array of colorful spatulas
spatula
whisk
and orange Thermapen - Mk4 thermometer
instant read thermometer

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 4 eggs (large)
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • ¼ tsp salt

Filling

  • 1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup canned cherry pie filling

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

  • 3 oz semi- sweet bakers chocolate
  • ½ cup heavy cream (whipping cream)

Garnish

  • 3 Marachino cherries
  • 3 spearmint gummy leaves
  • powdered sugar (sprinkled)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

*Instruction images will NOT print by default. You must click 'instruction images' option.

    Cake

    • Place parchment paper on a 17X12 sheet pan and grease with butter
      piece of buttered parchment paper on jelly roll pan
    • Bring an inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan
      an inch of water in a medium saucepan
    • Whisk eggs and sugar in heatproof bowl, then palce over simmering water. Make sure the water doesn't touch the botto of the bowl at any time.
      whisked eggs in heatproof bowl, over pot of water, on stove
    • Using a hand mixer (or whisk) continually beat the egg mixture until the eggs are thick, pale yellow and warm to the touch (around120 degrees F) It shoudl feel like warm tap water.
      whisked eggs in a stainless steel bowl with instant read thermometer
    • Remove the egg bowl from the heat and continue beating on high speed with an electric mixer, until the mixture is thick and airy and has reached the ribbon stage.* This means that when you drag and drizzle a spoonful of liquid it shouldn't settle back into the liquid for a good 5-10 seconds.
      eggs beaten to ribbon stage in a stainless steel bowl, with a spoon dragged through
    • Mix in the melted butter with a spoon (do NOT beat in with mixer)
      melted butter mixed into egg mixture with a black spatula in bowl and glass bowl on the side
    • In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour and salt.
      cocoa powder, flour and salt mixed together in a small glass bowl
    • Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and gently fold it into the eggs with a spatula.
      dry ingredients mixed with egg mixture in stainless steel bowl, with black spatula
    • * You need to be patient doing this - only mix until combined or batter will fall/deflate.
      sponge batter mixed together in stainless steel bowl with black spatula
    • Spread the batter onto the buttered parchment, leaving approximately an inch from the edges of the parchment.
      sponge cake batter poured onto parchment paper
    • Bake the cake for 8 minutes, until springy to the touch and cake test or toothpick comes out clean
      baked chocolate sponge cake on a pan
    • Prepare a new piece of parchment paper by sprinkling it lightly with cocoa powder.
      parchment paper with cocoa sprinkled on it
    • Flip the cake onto the parchment, then remove the parchment the cake was baked on.
      cake flipped over with parchment paper on top
    • Gently roll the cake up in the parchment, into a log, while it is still warm. *
      This is like muscle memory for the cake and it will roll easier again later.
      * Don't worry if it cracks (it will look more log-like anyway)
      cake being gently rolled up in parchment
    • Leave it in this rolled up position to cool.
      cake rolled up in parchment paper

    Filling

    • In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream in a large bowl on medium speed, increasing to high speed, untl soft peaks form.
      whipping cream beat to soft peaks in glass bowl
    • Add vanilla and powdered sugar.
      whipping cream with vanilla and sugar added
    • Whip until stiff peaks form.
      whipped cream whipped to stiff peaks
    • Unroll the cooled cake, then spread the cream all over, leaving a one inch border all around the edges
      unrolled cake with whipped cream spread on it
    • Spread the canned cherries on top of the whipped cream.
      cake with whipped cream and cherries spread on it
    • Roll the cake up gently, without the parchment paper this time. Place on a wire rack, with parchment or wax paper underneath (for pouring ganache)
      cake rolled up and placed on wire rack

    Chocolate Ganache Frosting

    • Microwave the whipping cream and dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl for 30 second intervals at ½ power (50%), stirring after each time until combined.
      chocolate and whipped cream in a glass bowl
    • Each time you take it out to stir, the chocolate will melt more in the hot cream. You want to heat it as little as possible.
      If needed: add a tablespoon of milk, which will give some pourable consistency to the ganache. (I did not need to do this)
      ganache in a glass bowl with a black spatula
    • Pour the ganache over the cake, spreading with a spatula to cover all of it and etch lines in it to look like a log (you can use a spatula as I did, or the blunt side of a butter knife).
      ganache poured on cake and spatula etching lines in it

    Garnish

    • Refrigerate for one hour before serving, so the ganache can firm up. Add 3 cherries and 3 spearmint candy leaves on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
      yule log hardened on white platter, garnished with spearmint gummy leaves and maraschino cherries

    Notes

    *Please see post contents for important recipe information, substitutions and tips!
    Nutrition Facts
    📋 Black Forest Yule Log Cake recipe
    Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
    Calories 418 Calories from Fat 252
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 28g43%
    Saturated Fat 17g106%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 8g
    Cholesterol 148mg49%
    Sodium 168mg7%
    Potassium 213mg6%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 22g24%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 1016IU20%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 58mg6%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 418kcal (21%) | Carbohydrates: 37g (12%) | Protein: 6g (12%) | Fat: 28g (43%) | Saturated Fat: 17g (106%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 148mg (49%) | Sodium: 168mg (7%) | Potassium: 213mg (6%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 22g (24%) | Vitamin A: 1016IU (20%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 58mg (6%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!
    Rate this Recipe

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    I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer and a busy working mom that is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

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